


Safekeeping

by shokoshik



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora/Catra is Canon (She-Ra), Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Angst, Anniversary, Catra (She-Ra) Redemption, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Headcanon, Hurt/Comfort, Past Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Poor Catra (She-Ra), Post-Apocalypse, Post-Season/Series 05 Finale, spop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2020-07-24
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:14:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25478260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shokoshik/pseuds/shokoshik
Summary: 1 evening, 2 sincere conversations, 3 anniversaries.
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 137





	Safekeeping

She found herself at the top of the tower, as was her habit. The air up there was lighter somehow, the view breathtaking, and it made it easy to escape the fanfare and bustle that was in the kingdom’s nature.

The first Annual Victory Ball was in full swing. She saw the small figures through the arches of one of the lower towers, the laughter and music traveled all the way up to where she was leaning on the marble rails, basking in the light of the Moonstone.

A year after the victory, and there was much to celebrate to be sure, including the many wonderful things that followed. Still, Catra needed a moment.

“There you are,” a familiar voice, yet not the one she was expecting, made itself known. “I saw you sneak out. Wanted to make sure you were okay.” The Queen of Bright moon stepped closer, leaning on the rail right next to her.

“You know me,” Catra smirked, “always am.”

“Liar,” Glimmer countered, but her voice was soft and she didn’t push further. They exchanged knowing looks than turned to look at the view.

“You did good Sparkles,” Catra acknowledged. “What you did in one year… people don’t do in a lifetime.”

“Yeah, well, I had some help,” she elbowed her friend.

Catra nudged her with her hip, then her eyes fell down to the garden. She grimaced.

“I know it’s the anniversary of our victory, but it means it’s also the anniversary of Shadow Weaver’s death,” her shoulders sunk, face went blank.

Glimmer nodded, but didn’t speak right away. She scanned Carta’s expression-less face, trying to figure out what the other woman was thinking, wishing that Adora was there instead, since it seemed like that was whom Catra actually needed.

“Do you… miss her?” she tried cautiously. “It’s okay if you do,” she added right away.

“Mostly, I wonder if I’d ever done any of the terrible things I did if I wasn’t raised by her,” Catra admitted, voice laced with bitterness.

Glimmer gave her an intense look.

“What?” Catra demanded, feeling scrutinized under the stare.

“I love you, you know that?” she offered earnestly. It was the only thing she could think of at the moment. Something rare enough, meaningful enough, that just might stir things in the right direction.

“Sparkles…” Catra warned. She made a lot of progress, with herself and with others, but she still had a hard time dealing with sincere moments like that. She wasn’t quite there, not yet. Not with anyone but Adora.

“I do,” Glimmer insisted. “I look at you now and I see a person who had their heart shredded into thousands of pieces, so much so, that she wanted her heart to stop altogether.”

Catra looked away. She didn’t need the reminder. She thought about these things every single day.

“And then instead,” Glimmer kept going, putting a warm palm over Catra’s, “you pushed forward, and tried to tape these thousands of pieces together.”

Catra released a breath. She wanted to return the favor, to say something so deeply moving, that pain would diminish and turn into warmth, but she couldn’t. And what made Glimmer’s words mean even more, was the fact that Catra _knew_ Glimmer didn’t expect anything in return, that she understood Catra wasn’t able of reciprocating just yet.

She could feel her pulse quicken. It always did when she was standing at those every-day crossroads, right before a moment where she either took a leap, or retreated to her shell.

She wanted to take a leap, tonight of all nights, with someone who became a friend, an important one.

“She didn’t want me, you know,” Catra finally spoke the words that have been on her mind most of the evening, most of her life.

“Yeah, she treated you horribly,” Glimmer agreed. “I only got a small taste, so I have no doubt.”

“No. I mean… when they first found me. She didn’t want me. I was left at the Fright Zone in some cardboard box, and she wanted to throw me out.”

Glimmer could feel her chest tightens. She couldn’t imagine what it was like to know your entire life that you’re not wanted, from such a young age.

“Then… how come you stayed? If she didn’t want you?”

“Because Adora did,” a ghost of a smile found its way to Catra’s face.

Glimmer’s smile was much more prominent. It was nice to think about her friends that way. In love and found.

“She always wanted you.” When Bow and her finally realized what was actually going on between the two, everything suddenly made sense.

“Thanks,” Catra turned to her. “I believe it a little bit more every day.”

“Hey.”

A newcomer. And for Catra the one voice that always made everything better.

“Hey, Adora,” she offered, getting a dazzling smile in return. She knew she would.

“I’ll see you guys inside,” Glimmer said, squeezing Catra’s hand and patting Adora’s shoulder as she was leaving.

“Hey,” Catra called after her, making her turn. “I… I love you, too.”

Glimmer made a sniffing sound as she was leaving. Adora, meanwhile, smirked, unbeknownst to her girlfriend.

“Don’t.” Catra warned.

“I didn’t say anything.”

Catra extended her hand, urging Adora to come closer.

Adora laced her fingers with the offered hand and came to stand by Catra. “I was gonna ask if you wanted to be alone, actually.”

Catra shook her head and put it down on Adora’s shoulder. “I knew you’d come at one point or another. I was waiting for you.”

“Then I’m happy to be of service,” Adora squeezed her hand.

“You always are, Princess,” Catra gave her a suggestive look, and just stayed there, locked in the stare. They did that sometimes. Both competitive, neither was willing to look away first. It was a game, and they both wanted to win. Though admittedly, in this game there were no losers.

Adora stayed put, but she cupped Catra’s cheek and eventually spoke.

“I never knew the part about Shadow Weaver wanting to throw you out,” she confessed, her heart aching at this new, painful piece of information. _How is she still causing this much pain from the grave?_ Adora wondered.

“I’m sorry,” Catra quirked an eyebrow. “Is it possible that Adora, the mighty She-Ra Princes of Power, was... eavesdropping?”

“Maybe a little,” Adora admitted sheepishly.

But Catra’s features didn’t show scorn or anger. Instead she smiled softly. “How much did you hear?”

“Catra, why didn’t you tell me?” Adora clenched her fists.

“What was the point?” Catra shrugged. In truth, Adora knowing wouldn’t have made a difference. They both always knew that Catra wasn’t exactly wanted, Adora just didn’t have the full scope of that rejection.

“I just hate that you had to carry that alone for so long.”

Catra swallowed hard, but didn’t say anything. There was nothing _to_ say.

“You know… she only ever wanted _me_ because she could sense I have magic. Something she could use one day.”

Catra nodded. Whether or not there were other feelings involved, she knew Shadow Weaver saw Adora as means to an end. As what Adora could do for _her._ “You think she loved us? In the end?”

“Does it matter?” The question wasn’t judgmental, it was genuine. Adora knew Shadow Weaver meant something to Catra. She meant something to her, too.

“I don’t know,” Catra admitted. “I’ve been thinking about it all day.”

“Is that why you came up here,” Adora inquired, voice both soft and cautious.

But Catra answered the question with another. “Do you ever feel like we owe her? She sacrificed herself so we can be together.”

But now Adora was angry. “We’re together in spite of her. Not thanks to her.” They worked so hard to be together. They had to overcome so much trauma, and damage, most of which inflicted by the woman in question. She started shaking, the mere thought that Shadow Weaver had anything to do with their happy ending, with something as pure and as good as their love for each other brought her to tears.

“Hey, I’m sorry, come here,” Catra brought their foreheads together, wrapping her hands behind Adora’s neck.

“You turned your life around,” Adora reminded. “You fought for this. Don’t give her credit for this. Our relationship has no room for her in it.”

“I didn’t mean to bring up such bad memories.”

“It’s not you, it’s her. She still gets in my head sometimes,” Adora shared in frustration.

“Mine too. Maybe she always will. But she’s gone and we’re still here.”

“But you miss her.”

“In a way, I guess I do. Don’t you?”

“I do. And it makes me angry because… because I _just_ learned that she wanted to throw away a baby you who arrived at her doorstep in a box. She was cruel, and destructive, and if she had her way, the person I care about the most would’ve been dead. And I still miss her.”

“If she had her way the person _I_ care about the most would’ve been dead, too. She really did a number on us.” Catra’s lip twitched. “But you’re right. She doesn’t get the credit. You do. They kept me because of you, so… thanks for changing the entire course of my life.”

“At least you understand now that I always loved you, too,” Adora stated.

Catra looked at her as if the truth just hit her. She never thought of it that way. She knew she always loved Adora, and Adora told her the same was true for her, but she always figured it was just something Adora said to level the field. But this moment between them? Above the roofs of Bright moon, with Adora practically radiating with immeasurable conviction, there was no denying it. Adora _did_ always love her.

“Why _did_ you do it? Ask them to keep me I mean.” She just had to know, wanted the foreverness of it all to be vocalized.

“Well, I looked into that box and thought ‘this is the cutest and prettiest creature ever.’” She was _hers_ for safekeeping. Her something precious.

Catra quirked an eyebrow. “You thought I was pretty? How embarrassing for you.”

“I always thought you were pretty.” Adora shrugged, not, in fact, embarrassed in the slightest. “It’s just that back then I thought ‘awwww she’s pretty,’ and then one day I thought, ‘whoa, she is _pretty_ ’.”

Catra couldn’t help that her heart skipped a beat. Even after all this time she still hasn’t gotten used to this, to getting the girl. “I love you, you absolute dork.”

“You know, it’s our anniversary, too,” Adora pointed out with a sweet smile. Catra’s eyes widened in shock, as if she couldn’t believe it didn’t even occur to her. “One whole year with you,” Adora added. “And it’s never enough time.”

Catra curled up to her. “No, it never is.” She agreed.

“I actually got you something.” Adora took out a small notebook. “It’s a diary. For the times when you want to talk and feel like you can’t. I noticed you almost finished your current one.”

“You… you know about that?” Catra inquired, apologetic.

“I see you sometimes, in nooks around the castle, writing. When you think no one notices you. The thing is… I always notice you.”

“I’m sorry, I know you want me to talk more…”’

Adora grabbed both of Catra’s hands in hers. “Please don’t be sorry,” she kissed her knuckles. “You’ve been working so hard. I want you to have this outlet if it helps. I love you for doing that. Here, open it.” She handed Catra the notebook.

Catra turned the cover to find a dedication on the first page.

_Catra,_

_I love you._

_I always have._

_Adora_

Something about reading her own words being directed back at her drove Catra wild. It was the depths. She didn’t mind the drowning. Not anymore.

She put her hand on Adora’s neck and pulled her in for a short, tender kiss.

“I love it, thank you,” she leaned their foreheads together. “I’m sorry. I didn’t get you anything.” She broke away, face showing remorse.

“You gave me hope when I had none left,” Adora reminded. “Which is why we’re even here today to celebrate all of this.” She looked to the horizon, breathing deeply, happily. Catra followed suit, letting the early evening breeze wash over her.

They were silent for a few moments, quietly appreciating all they had, all that they achieved.

At some point, Adora turned to scan Catra’s face. Catra could tell.

“You’re staring,” she noted, turning to face Adora whose gaze refused to budge. It was so full of love and devotion that Catra could feel her body temperature skyrocket. ”What? What is it?” Sometimes, Catra worried that Adora’s intensity will consume her girlfriend whole. But sometimes, it was this.

“Oh, nothing,” Adora shrugged. “Just thinking about how I want to be with you forever.”

“I think I’d like that very much,” Catra replied, leaning into the warm body next to her. But it wasn’t enough. Adora said all these beautiful things. Adora was talking about an outlet. Adora, Adora, Adora, already surrounding her, poking at all her senses.

She turned them around, pushing her girlfriend against the rail, offering her a suggestive smile.

“You want to do this now? Here?” Adora asked in surprise, but not an unpleasant one.

“Why not? Sparkles is gone and I believe I owe you an anniversary present.”

Catra pulled up Adora’s shirt, kissing the exposed skin of her stomach, enjoying the feeling of muscles under her lips.

“Adora, I don’t understand. War’s been over for a year. How are you still so fit?”

“Maybe I’m trying to impress a girl.”

“You already got the girl, you idiot.”

“Maybe I want to impress that girl every single day, over and over again.”

“Well, color me impressed,” Catra was just about to resume what she was doing just a moment ago when Adora cupped her face.

“You sure you don’t want to head back?” Adora checked. “Won’t you regret missing this?”

Catra looked over Adora’s shoulder, at the people below. _Let them celebrate_ , she thought, leaning in to kiss the girl she loved her whole life. _We have our own celebrating to do._

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to take what feels to me like one of the most heartbreaking notions of the fandom (Catra in a box, about to be thrown away) and give it the somewhat optimistic closure I thought it deserved.
> 
> Also here's a bonus:  
> https://youtu.be/-DWDjpdi684


End file.
